Our Lady, Help of Christians — and presidents?

Well this is interesting:

First Lady Michelle Obama said last month that her husband “always carries a picture of Mary Help of Christians in his wallet.” She made her remarks while visiting a house of the Salesian community in Ronda, Spain.

Under the title of Help of Christians, Our Lady is the patroness of the Salesian order and is particularly venerated in China and Australia. Pope Pius VII instituted a feast day in her honor following his release from imprisonment under Napoleon.

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Who knows what Obama actually thinks of the prayer card he supposedly carries (if he thinks of it at all). For Catholics inclined to pray for the president, though, she seems a fitting intercessor

Author

  • Margaret Cabaniss

    Margaret Cabaniss is the former managing editor of Crisis Magazine. She joined Crisis in 2002 after graduating from the University of the South with a degree in English Literature and currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland. She now blogs at SlowMama.com.

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